I Bet You
by bigcitydreamer98
Summary: Beca and Jesse were always making bets ever since they were little. Though the ups and the downs and especially during every big moment, the bets between Beca and Jesse bonded them together, as friends and as something more.
1. Chapter 1

Beca and Jesse were always making bets ever since they were little. It all started when the Swanson family moved in right next to the Mitchell's. Carrying labeled boxes and antiques swaddled in bubble wrap, they officially settled down the day of little Beca Mitchell's fifth birthday. It was before the era of fighting and fists slamming against the countertop and as of now, the Mitchell household was happy. Older Beca tried to forget the days when she would wear dresses with matching ribbons holding together her braided pigtails. She didn't want to remember how she used play dress up, pretending to be the princess saving the day. No, Beca Mitchell was tough and closed off, but she hadn't always been.

When the days became longer and the sound of cicadas filled the air, Beca and Jesse started to talk more. Their parents had become friendly, droning on and on about town events and daily happenings in their lives. Beca and Jesse had little care for all of that so they would be stuck playing together while their parents talked.

One day, it must've been towards the beginning of summer, Beca was riding her new bike that her father had brought home one day as a special surprise. Ringing the bell and riding around in circles, Jesse began to take notice. His parents had given him his older brother's old bike months prior so Jesse was pretty sure that he had some suggestions for the little girl with braids.

"I can teach you how to go really fast," Jesse said, puffing out his chest, "I'm a professional." Beca stopped riding for a second, her feet resting on the pedals. Rolling her eyes, she responded, "I am just as good as you, Jesse."

With a knowing grin, jumping onto his own bike, Jesse said, "Prove it."

So there it began; Jesse bet Beca he could ride faster than her and of course, Beca had to prove him wrong. They rode all the way down the block, past the town and the little music shop on the corner, towards the beach and the roaring waves. Her pigtails caught the wind, flying behind her like tails. A smile never left his face, grinning wide from ear to ear as he breathed in the salty air. They got ice cream that day, coins rattling in his pockets spilling off onto the snack cart.

He wanted to savor every moment, squeeze every ounce of happiness he was consumed with into a jar and save it forever. His eyebrow raised in question as she picked maple syrup ice cream, standing on her tippy toes to see the ice cream man scoop it out of the container. Jesse didn't let her pay, telling her that his father say that real gentlemen always pay for ladies.

"Why'd you pick maple syrup ice cream," he asked, licking the sides of his own cone to prevent the drops from falling, "I don't think it'll be very good." Chocolate had always been his favorite. He couldn't even remember the last time he picked a flavor other than chocolate.

Beca, in response, thrust her ice cream cone near his face, "I bet if you try it, you will like it." Jesse, ready for a challenge, accepted her proposal and licked her cone, the sweetness washing over his taste buds. Beca knew she won the bed when a smile glazed over his face. They walked the pier together, eating their ice cream and wiping their mouths with the arms to get the gooey residue off their faces. Jesse looked over to see the girl next to him, her pigtails blowing behind her and the sun dancing off her face. She was something special.

By the time they got home, their parents were still talking about the summer barbecue a few of the neighbors were throwing. Jesse and Beca snuck in through the back door, shushing each other so their parents wouldn't hear. When Beca left, only a few minutes after the two of them got back, her mom didn't even question the spot of ice cream on Beca's new dress.

…..

Throughout the years they had gotten closer. Their bike rides became a daily thing as they ventured through the little town together. They were ready to face the world hand in hand. During the days before school would begin again, when Beca and Jesse was just entering middle school, she was nervous.

Straightening out her white, lace top and making sure the pockets of her denim shorts were pushed in, Beca strained her neck to look for the bus. All the other girls were looking more like teenagers than little children. Beca had always been small for her age, but it have never really affected her until now.

Jesse, walking down the street with a bounce in his step, saw his best friend continually try to make sure her outfit was perfect. She tugged on the corner of her shirt and ran the tips of her fingers over her necklace to make sure it was straight. Of course she was beautiful; she was always beautiful. Why couldn't she see it? Her chestnut brown hair fell past her shoulders, falling in soft curls. Her eyes were a piercing blue that either scared people off that she didn't like or made people want to marvel in front of her.

He casually put his arm around Beca's shoulder, taking a step back as the bus started to roll to a halt. He took one look at her before saying, "I bet all the boys won't be able to keep their eyes off you." Jesse winked at her, walking up the bus steps and plopping down in a seat.

Beca just rolled her eyes and followed his lead. What she didn't realized that he was one of those boys.

…..

Jesse was worried. He was already 14 and he hadn't had his first kiss yet. All the boys in the locker room talked about their girlfriends and what base they had gotten to. Thinking they were talking about baseball, Jesse listened in until he understood that baseball was the exact opposite of what they were discussing.

He had never had a girlfriend and he hadn't really thought about it until this year. Girls had cooties, except for Beca. She was just...Beca. Many of the guys assumed the two of them were dating, always asking questions about how good of a kisser she was. Whenever conversations like that came up, he just tried his best to change the subject.

Jesse was making Beca watch a movie in the theaters after suffering through countless hours of protests. Finally she accepted only of the basis that he would buy her a large popcorn and soda. Sipping on the drink and trying to catch popcorn in her mouth, he couldn't help but think about how it would be to kiss her. It was weird. He had seen every part of her, good and bad. Jesse knew how she would just go mute when she got angry, just blocking off the world. He saw how sometimes she would push away the tears whenever she was sad. He also saw how her laugh would ring out, as clear as bells, through the room when she was genuinely happy. He saw first hand how music consumed her soul, making sounds blend together effortlessly. Jesse saw the things that no one else saw unless they were always with her...and he still couldn't get enough.

So when he whispered to her that he never had his first kiss when the characters on screen were talking about their first kisses, she averted her gaze to look at him in surprise before a glint appeared in her eyes and a smirk on her face.

"I bet you are going to have your first kiss very soon," she said, as his eyebrows raised in question. Before he could even ask her to elaborate, she took his chin in her hands, pulling him closer and pressing her lips to her own. It felt cheesy to say, but it did feel like fireworks in his head. Her lips tasted like sugar, like fresh strawberries on a summer day. Within seconds, she pulled away, readjusting herself in her seat and looking back at the screen in front of her. Jesse didn't even know what to do, how to respond, so he just sat there, smiling to himself. She was always going to be a mystery to him.

…..

As the summer after Beca's 15th birthday quickly approached, she was over his house more than she was at her own. They never talked about how she kissed him in the theater, how his stomach did somersaults every time she was around. There was a bigger issue on hand. The yelling got louder and a pile of broken plates was always in the garbage when she got home. Her father had taken up a new life, one that consisted of hiding away in their basement with a bottle swinging in his hand. 'It's root beer', he had always said, 'just root beer.'

For awhile Beca had believe him until one day she was able to see him passed out on the sofa, a bottle safely tucked away in his hands. Sniffing the liquid, Beca could tell it wasn't root beer and she could also tell that this wasn't her father. Her father was the type of person to bring home a bike for her just because he wanted to. He took her to the park and taught her to throw a mean curveball, promising her that it would help her one day in life.

It was the day that he left that Jesse made another bet with Beca. Climbing from his window to her own, he crawled into her bed and hugged her as the tears fell down her face. Using his pinky to wipe away the liquid, he wrapped his arms around her as if to protect her from the world.

"I bet you will feel better someday," he whispered in her ears. By now she was only halfway asleep, her tiny hands grasping onto his own for dear life. His words covered up the sounds of her father's car screeching out of the driveway and out of sight. Jesse was right, as she fell asleep in his arms, she did feel a little better.

…..

Soon enough the Beca he once knew was changing. Her personality really wasn't changing, but the way she presented herself was. The jeans and the plaid became more and more apparent and the dresses were gone. He didn't care how she dressed, but he did care about their relationship.

Beca was in the teenage rebellious stage and it was becoming more and more taxing on their relationship. She started hanging out with this guy, Luke whatever-his-last-name, and before he knew it, the two of them were together. Luke was tall, british, and he looked like he just came out of a photoshoot. He was older but probably not wiser. He didn't even call Beca the right name, for crying out loud! It's Beca not Becky.

One night, he saw a car rolling down the street, stopping at Beca's house. Ever since her father left, her mother was pretty much nonexistent. She didn't cook or clean or care about Beca's curfew. Jesse exited his door, watching as Beca stepped out of Luke's car.

"See you on Friday, babe," Luke called after her as she turned around. Jesse saw her softly smile but her eyes seemed more dull than they usually did. Jesse ran up to her just when the car was pulling away.

"Beca, listen to me," Jesse began, "Luke's not good for you. I bet he doesn't make you happy... I bet I can make you happier than he does." Jesse gave her a grin as she took in a sharp breath. She crossed her arms over her chest but she didn't fight when he gave her a hug, eventually opening up her arms to surround him.

The next day, Beca broke up with Luke and Jesse couldn't have been more happy. They went out for maple syrup ice cream on their first date.

…..

When they were 25 and they finally got out of the shoebox apartment they had been living in for the past few years, Jesse had one more bet for Beca. So far, they were doing pretty well. Beca had this great job at this up and coming record label and Jesse was getting his name out to all the right people.

Laying on the couch together, playing with her hair as her head was nuzzled into the crook of his neck, Jesse said, "I bet you will never have another boyfriend."

Beca gazed up at him, her eyebrows furrowed as he got up off the sofa. A smile returned to her face as she saw him get down on one knee. Her eyes danced as she realized the love of her life was going to say the two words she most wanted to hear.

Marry me?

And she did.


	2. Chapter 2

Just because I have received so much positive feedback for this story, I decided to make a second and final chapter.

* * *

Their wedding was full of laughs and good friends, flying in from around the country to witness the bond of Beca Mitchell and Jesse Swanson. Everyone showered Beca with compliments, doting on her every move right up until the big day. She was calm for a bride, but many people were awaiting the monster to break out of her once she realized she was actually getting married. On the contrary, Beca wasn't like many brides.

Jesse was mainly the one that organized caterers and centerpieces, tablecloths and invitations. Beca usually was at her computer, typing out different notes and tapping her foot to the beat. Once in a while, her gaze would fall on Jesse, looking at wedding magazines and cake designs. They would catch each other's eyes for a second as she would get up and wrap her arms his waist as he pulled her close.

"I can't decide between this type of design and this one," he pointed to specific pictures in one of the wedding brochures, "Help me?" Jesse pleaded with her until she agreed, taking a seat next to him on the couch, looking at the spread of clipping he had laid out on the table.

"I like this one," Beca picked up one of the photographs, running her fingertips over it, "but I bet whichever one you choose will be perfect."

And it was.

Their wedding day was quickly approaching and both of them were still level headed even after a few, minor catastrophes. They were having their event in a large church in a clearing in a forest right on the water. The church was made out of tall, glass panels so if you looked one way you would see a blanket of pine needles on the ground and a canopy of branches waving with the wind. On the other side you could see the waves as they crashed on the beach, rushing over the imprints in the sand, washing them away with every motion.

A string quartet began to play the wedding march by the time all the guests were seated. A wave of white fabric fell behind Beca as she glided down the walkway and towards the alter. If it wasn't for her mom holding onto her arm, she swore she would've fallen over. It did help to see the big, blue orbs of her future husband staring back at her, his eyes getting damp at the sight.

It was like the room fell quiet, a hushed silence as everyone stared at the beauty that was Beca Mitchell, soon to be Beca Swanson. She was wearing a dress, a real dress. Everyone knew that getting Beca within 100 feet of a dress made her squirm in pain, but now she didn't even realize the absence of her jeans and t-shirts, replaced by the silk conforming to every curve of her body. Nobody knew that at the last moment, Beca had exchanged her high heels for a pair of black converse.

At the altar, Jesse couldn't take his eyes off her. Everyday he marveled at her beauty and couldn't believe that someone as special as her would pick him to spend the rest of her life with. Taking her hand in his own, they turned to face the marriage officiant.

Years prior, Jesse had bet Beca and Beca had bet Jesse a number of things and they all rang true. Back when they were just children, marveling at the summer days, Jesse had bet Beca that he could ride faster than her. Even though he could, he rode right next to her so he could see the smile that would cross her face as the wind blew through her her braids.

When Jesse's head turned slightly and his eyebrows raised when he saw the ice cream man scooping maple syrup ice cream into her cone, she just smiled knowingly at him and promised him that if he tried it, he would like it. From then on, he didn't just get chocolate anymore. He mixed a scoop of chocolate with Beca's signature flavor, salivating at how well the two flavors swirled together. They were so different, his classic while hers unique, but they seemed to fit almost too perfectly together, sort of like Beca and Jesse but Jesse wasn't going to say that out loud.

A few months before the school bus would leave for their first day of middle school, something changed within Jesse. He seemed to notice things a little bit more than usual, especially Beca. His best friend, his ice cream eating, pigtail wearing, dress dirtying friend looked different to him. He started to see how perfect her hair looked all the time, wanting to brush a piece away from her eyes after during one of their bike rides the wind would take control of her hair.

On the first day of middle school he couldn't believe that he told her any guy would fall for her, even though it was obviously true. He didn't want their friendship to change. He didn't want her to distance herself from him, but he also couldn't help the butterflies that flew around in his stomach every time he saw her.

When Beca had said that Jesse would have his first kiss very soon, she didn't expect to kiss him. She just looked at his chocolate brown eyes that she loved so much and did what her instinct told her to do. She had already had her first kiss with Danny Anderson, captain of the soccer team, but it was nothing like this. Jesse tasted like buttery popcorn and the taste of the salty air the blows past the beach while Danny tasted like fresh cut grass and dirt. She would never admit it, but even though she ignored the kiss, all she wanted to do was close the gap between them any time she saw him.

Jesse had bet Beca that she would feel better one day and it started to happen once he bet her that he could make her happier than Luke ever could. They spent the days together, walking on the pier and letting the waves glide over their ankles. Jesse would kiss the top of her head as they stared off into the distance or Beca would try to run after Jesse with her maple syrup ice cream cone.

No one thought it was going to last. 'You always leave the girl when you go off to college,' they all said but Jesse and Beca never listened. They stuck together, attached at the hip, and continued to entwine themselves into each others lives until they couldn't imagine being with anyone else.

That was the moment when Jesse decided to pull out the velvet box that he kept in the back of his sock drawer, hidden from her sight. Taking in a deep breath and sliding it into his pocket, he walked towards the living room where she was waiting for him, a smile appearing on her face.

Eight years ago he bet her that he could make her happy, but the one thing he didn't know was that he had been the one to made her smile ever since he moved into the house right next to her, all those years ago. He one thing he did know was that he would be the one to make her happy every day for the rest of their lives.

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I hope you liked it!


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